Tumbleweed
by Tupalicious
Summary: Things are going great for Sam. But when her stepmother Brynna brings home three young out of luck mustangs... Please R&R! First Fan Fic ever!
1. Three Hard Luck Cases

"**_M_**mmm…" Samantha Forster said as she entered the whitewashed ranch house the scents of fried chicken green beans and mashed potatoes filling her nostrils.

"Wash up and sit down dear we were waiting for you" said her grandmother. Her father looked at her as she sat down and began shoveling food into her mouth.

"Are you ever going to wean that filly or are you gonna' let her suckle for the rest of her life?" Dad asked. Sam had swallowed hard, the fried chicken and mashed potatoes she had just swallowed seemed to lump in her throat,

"Your dad's right Sam" said her stepmother Brynna who was trying desperately to feed Sam's half sister Alyssa some of the mashed potatoes.

"You should get a move on or it will be more difficult than it already will be" Brynna sighed and gave up as Alyssa screeched and splattered mashed potatoes all over Brynna's blouse.

"Well I..." Sam began she looked at her father then Brynna and Gram. All were staring at her. "Actually I plan on doing just that tomorrow afternoon." Dad looked surprised "Oh really, and when were you planning to tell us?" Sam spooned more green beans onto her plate. "Tomorrow morning" Sam had been planning no such thing and she could see Dad and Brynna were not fooled.

"Well then," said Brynna "You should be getting to bed if you plan to spend the night with Tempest."

"But I..." Sam stopped. If she angered Dad, Brynna or Gram now she could just forget about having one of her best friends from San Francisco, Kelly Baldwin, out to the ranch. Kelly loved horses as much as Sam did and Sam knew that Kelly and her best friend Jennifer Kenworthy, of Gold Dust Ranch, would get along fabulously. Both girls wanted to be vets and could get very technical when explaining animal husbandry to Sam.

"Okay" said Sam as she got up from the table with her dishes. "I'll get some sleep and tomorrow I'll work with Tempest and wean her." Dad raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak but Brynna nudged him and sent him a look that said 'Leave it alone! She's doing what we told her to!' Dad shrugged instead and said "Goodnight dream your plans for tomorrow cause' I don't have any!" Brynna glared at him and said "Goodnight Sam. I'll be right up to tuck Alyssa in." Gram smiled and gave Sam a peck on the cheek

"Sweet dreams dear." Sam hurried up into her room quickly changed and flung herself down the hall towards the bathroom readied herself for bed and sprinted back into her room landing a perfect dive right between the sheets as soon as Brynna opened the door.

"Hey Sam," Brynna said holding Alyssa. "I need to talk to you about a mustang up at Willow Springs." Willow Springs was the local BLM holding facility for wild horses and burros where Brynna worked as supervisor. Sam's interest was instantly hooked.

"What about it?" she asked. Brynna smiled knowingly. She like her stepdaughter was crazy for the wild horses around the ranch and nearby Calico Mountains.

"Well Sam a very young, about 10 week old, filly was rescued from bramble bushes about a week ago." Sam nodded "But isn't that normal for young foals to be curious?" she asked.

"Well yes" Brynna admitted "But a week later a rancher found her with her hoof stuck between two rocks in the riverbed" Sam could see how that would be dangerous if a flood came or a sudden storm.

"So we pulled her out and sent her back to her herd." Brynna continued "But lately she has been getting into worse and worse trouble, and yesterday we brought her in with two other foals. All three were stuck in quicksand." Sam shivered remembering the time when she had rescued her orphan calf Buddy from the gritty ooze.

"All three are in a holding pen down at Willow Springs and your Dad said it would be Okay if I brought them down here." _Wait a minute _Sam thought _Dad is letting Brynna bring three hard luck foals down to River Bend sight unseen!_

"How did you talk him into that?" Sam asked.

"Well really I said that they were going to be part of the HARP program and my executives agree as does HARP." _Oh okay that makes more sense. _Sam thought,

"When do they arrive?" Sam asked

"Tomorrow morning" Brynna replied.

A/N: Hope everyone likes the changes I've made. Nothing big just the spacing and stuff.


	2. Tumbleweed, Raven and Flame

**_S_**am woke with a strange mixture of excitement and dread in her stomach. She was excited because the three mustang's were arriving today and she was defiantly dreading having to wean Tempest. Sam loved her buckskin mare Dark Sunshine, but Sunny could often be temperamental, and in Sunny's life-before-Sam she had been abused to many times by being a Judas horse for wild mustangs. Sunny was likely to flip out if she thought she was being left behind again.

Sam looked at the clock: 6:47 am. _Time to get up and welcome the new horses _Sam thought. She hauled herself out of bed and managed to run a quick shower before she heard Gram's voice calling her

"Samantha Anne! The new horses are here and I don't think Brynna can unload by herself!" Sam threw on her clothes and boots then sprinted downstairs and out the door. Brynna hopped out of the truck pulling River Bend's horse trailer. A mustang kicked the side of the trailer and squealed at sensing so many new horses.

"Help me get them out!" Brynna called as Sam came rushing over. Brynna handed her a rope and motioned towards where Penny, Brynna's blind mustang mare, stood quietly tied. Sam took the rope and hopped on Penny. "I'm going to let them out and you two" she gestured toward Sam and Penny "are going to herd them in and make sure no one escapes." Sam nodded to tell Brynna she understood. Sam patted Penny, the sorrel mare was now dancing in place from excitement. "Ready?" Brynna called Sam nodded again and Brynna swung the trailer door open. Three young mustangs, a black, a dusty red dun and a dark reddish palomino pinto, a very flashy color for a mustang, thundered out. Sam moved Penny into action and in a few swift moments all three young horses were in the pen and Brynna bolted the gate. "Very good, very smooth" Brynna said as Sam clambered down and took Penny's reins from Brynna. Sam and Brynna led Penny back to the ten acre pasture pulled off her saddle and bridle and let her loose.

Then Brynna walked back to the pasture and Sam followed. "So" she said "Who's who?"

Brynna pointed to the black.

"That is Raven" she said "He is half Spanish half Kiger, an odd mix but a beautiful one" Sam nodded. She knew that both were endangered breeds of mustang and was glad this little one had made it through safely.

"That" said Brynna pointing out the red dun "Is Flame. She came from a small herd in the mountains" Brynna looked pointedly at Sam

"We both know the stallion in charge" Sam stared at the filly with renewed interest. She must be one of the first daughters of New Moon, a black stallion who was the son of Sam's own former horse The Phantom.

"Moon has a pretty baby" Sam commented. Brynna smiled

"Yes he does" she smiled satisfied "This little girl is one of his plainer offspring." Sam gaped at the filly. This was one of Moon's plainer fillies?

"Wow the rest must be beauties" she said.

"They are indeed" Brynna said smugly "I knew it was the right decision to leave Phantom and Moon out on the range." Sam smiled at her stepmother. Brynna was right the Phantom had beautiful colts and fillies and apparently so did his foals.

"And the other?" Sam asked

"That is Tumbleweed" Sam stared at her stepmother. How could such a beautiful animal have such a plain and ugly name? Brynna saw the look

"It's because the BLM finds her some place different each time," Brynna explained "She is never found in the same spot it's like she's tumbleweed."

Sam walked over to the barn. Tempest, River Bend's resident princess in charge, whinnied shrilly.

"I hear you pretty baby!" Sam called. She jogged into the barn with Tempest's lead rope. "Hi baby!" Sam said to the lovely black filly and her buckskin dam, Dark Sunshine. "Are you ready for your walk today?" Sam asked pulling Tempest's halter over her squirming head. As Sam clipped on the lead rope and led Tempest out of the stall. Dark Sunshine, Sunny, looked over the stall door suspiciously as she watched Sam lead her filly away. _She knows what's going to happen _thought Sam _and she doesn't like it one bit._ She was right. As Sam lead Tempest back up to the pipe pen, used for introducing new horses to the small herd in the ten acre pasture, Sunny screamed her fear of being left behind once again. Tempest tried to stop and follow her dam's frantic cries but Sam pulled her into the pipe pen. Sam then released Tempest from the halter and scrambled out of the small pen as Tempest ran circles around the new enclosure squealing her fear. Sam dashed inside to try and block out the screams of the mare and foal calling back and forth.


	3. Phone Call

_**Chapter three**_

Sam wiped tears from her eyes. She hated hearing Tempest and Sunny call to each other desperately.

As she walked into the kitchen the phone began to ring. She raced to it and answered.

"Hello?" Sam said. "Hey Sam!" the voice of Sam's former best friend Kelly Baldwin came over the phone. "Hi Kelly!" Sam said "How are things in San Francisco?"

Kelly laughed as she replied "Couldn't be better!" Sam smiled. She had always loved Kelly's laughter. It could make anyone laugh along and even an exceptionally sad person smile. "I can't wait for Saturday!" Kelly said. Sam glanced at her calendar. Only two more days and Kelly would be flying out to join the Forsters for two months. "So who am I going to be riding?" Kelly asked. "Well" Sam said "If I told you then you wouldn't be as excited about coming!" Kelly sighed in disappointment. "It's been so long since I've seen you Sam, or been on a horse!" "Yeah I cant wait either!" Sam replied. Then Sam heard another voice on the line. "Kelly lunch time." Mrs. Baldwin said. "Mo-om!" Kelly said "What have I told you about picking up the other line!" "Sorry dear" Mrs. Baldwin's laughter echoed over the line. Kelly had inherited her laugh from her mom that was for sure. "But you need to come down now." Mrs. Baldwin said sternly. "Okay I'll be right there." Kelly said "Bye Sam! See you on Saturday!" "Bye Kelly!" Sam said and hung up.

She had really missed Kelly. Then she heard a banging noise coming from outside and shrill unhappy whinnies. "Samantha!" Gram called "Go ride that loco horse of yours before he breaks down the fence!"

"Yes Gram!" Sam yelled back and raced out the door.

A/N: Sorry it's so short guys. Can I get some more reviews soon? I love hearing your opinions! Also I need some ideas review and send them to me!

Thanks!


	4. Visitors

Visitors

Sam bounced up and down on the railing of the ten acre pasture.

She had long since scared away the horses and now was just bouncing because it was something to do.

Finally Gram's Buick drove in as Sam and Blaze ran down to meet it.

A thin black haired girl with stunning green eyes hopped out.

"Kel!"

"Sam!"

The two girls rushed at each other hugging and squealing at the same time.

"I see you two have a lot of catching up to do so I'll take Kelly's stuff inside while you show her around." Brynna said

Sam nodded her thanks but was too happy to speak.

"So which one's yours?" Kelly as they walked toward the pasture.

"The little bay, his name is Ace." Sam proudly pointed Ace out to Kelly.

"And you can take your pick of Strawberry, Buffalo and Jeepers." She said showing Kelly the strawberry roan mare, dark brown gelding and leopard Appaloosa.

Kelly scanned the herd of horses and after a while said

"I'll take the Appaloosa." So Sam and Kelly set about acquainting Jeepers with Kelly and practiced catching him.

"Oh Sam you are so lucky." Kelly whispered looking around at the ranch and horses.

Sam had to agree. Then the girls rushed inside at gram's call for dinner.

"Hey, my friend Jen wants to meet you do you want to ride out together tomorrow?" Sam asked slightly uncertain how her old best friend would take meeting her new best friend.

"Sure! I'd love too!" said Kelly her eyes taking in the whole ranch and two story house.

Sam showed her to the bedroom where her stuff was. Then they skipped down to dinner.

After dinner they went to bed early so they could get up early to meet Jen, though in reality they got to sleep around 12:30 am.

Then at 3:12 am Sam jolted awake. She didn't know why but she knew that she needed to be at the river right now. She checked to see that Kelly was sound asleep before tiptoeing downstairs and outside.

Once outside she saw him, glimmering like silver against the water.

"Zanzibar." She breathed. The great stallion pricked his ears and tilted his dished head toward her.

"Oh boy I have missed you." Sam said walking towards him.

The Phantom nickered and splashed towards her.

Sam took the stallion's head in her arms and they stood there for what seemed like for ever. Then the stallion looked up and pivoted away splashing Sam as he raced to the other bank calling a challenge to the shadowy figure now advancing towards them.

A cool hand on her shoulder told her that Kelly had arrived.

"Who's that?" she asked softly

"The gray stallion is my old horse Blackie. But now we call him the Phantom."

"Yeah Blackie doesn't fit too well now does it?" Kelly said "But who's that black horse?"

Sam looked up and could see the two stallions touch noses. Then, to Sam's surprise, the Phantom allowed the black to pass. As he came closer Sam recognized New Moon, one of the Phantom's colts.

"Kelly then walked forward as if in a trance to meet the black stallion and, as the Phantom walked to Sam, Kelly and Moon gently touched his nose to her hand.

_Wow. _Sam thought _Moon and Kelly have just bonded like the Phantom and I did!_

"Now give him a name." Sam said "Give Moon a secret name that only you and he will know forever."

Kelly did so bending into his ear and whispering it to him. Moon nodded his head almost in agreement.

Then the Phantom nudged Sam for one last pat and turned running with Moon back to their herds in the darkness.

"Wow." Was all Kelly could say.

"Yeah wow alright." Sam answered

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while guys I promise to be better at it from now on.

Tupi out.


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